How Supply Chain Disruption Compromises Employee Safety
We have been confronted with the reality of supply chain disruption.
- By Cheryl Reep
- Aug 01, 2022
Before the pandemic arrived, many of us hardly thought about how our everyday products were sourced. We have taken the journey to get these products from its manufacturing facility to the store shelves and our hands for granted. Today we are fully aware of the logistics it takes, and as we face each day, we are confronted with the reality of the great supply chain disruption. Many companies also face the same obstacle and may have to rethink their sourcing and logistics strategies. How do they cope, and what sacrifices are they willing to make?
The Great Supply Chain Disruption
Supply chain disruption has become a significant challenge for the global economy since the pandemic and has continued to bring in a whole new parade of supply issues this year; time alone cannot solve this dilemma. Although public and private sectors have joined forces to revive and restore the supply chain, their efforts fell short.
Several actions were put in place to ensure that the public and healthcare providers have timely and continued access to high-quality PPE, such as gloves. Up to this date, the disruption of supply is still prevalent. It can be traced back to component scarcities, port congestion and shutdowns, unprecedented freight demand across rail, ocean carriage, truck driver and labor shortages and factory lockdown. Record-high inflation rates and soaring freight prices further complicate the issues.
US Customs and Border Protection withheld the release of gloves from multiple Malaysian factories suspected of using forced labor. China’s COVID-zero policy is causing extra strain and increasing pressure on the supply crisis. The war in Ukraine creates more barriers and adds chaos to the market. The saturation across all modes is intensifying as the worldwide supply crunch.
Procurement Pressures
Amidst the challenges, managers and distributors are considering various possible solutions and frustrating tradeoffs to keep their glove inventory filled, balancing budget, availability, storage and shrinkage. Pricing is not the only concern, but availability has overshadowed the latter. One constant thing is the need for hand protection required for workers’ performance and safety. The disruption can affect their ability to operate successfully, so they must adapt to these changing conditions.
- Preferred suppliers are running out of stock
- Price is too high for regularly purchased products
- Seeking lower-priced substitute products
- A direct challenge in buying products caused by limited availability or allocation
- Delayed deliveries of ordered products
- Canceled orders
This article originally appeared in the July/August 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.